After an enjoyable boat trip in the Sporades, the Octopus is now taking you on a journey to the Lavezzi Islands! Located at the South of Corsica gathering of 23 islands and islets, this protected and wild paradise can count on its many assets to charm its visitors. The archipelago is known for its unique landscapes, its creeks featuring amazing granite formations and its blooming underwater worlds.
Since 1999, restrictions have been applied to these islands which are part of the natural reserve of the “Bouches de Bonifacio”. Among these islands, only one is inhabited, the Cavallo island. You can visit some of the others, depending on which regulations are applied to them. Without further due, the Octopus is taking you with him to discover the best anchorages in the Lavezzi, while respecting the regulations in place!
Regulations
Regulations have been applied in the Lavezzi Islands to preserve its unique biodiversity. In addition, the archipelago has been classified as a natural reserve since 1982. The regulations put in place apply to everyone: walkers, drivers, swimmers, and of course, boaters. One of the most important regulations is the prohibition to anchor on Posidonia. Therefore, organized anchoring solutions are often available. In some of the bays, it is only allowed to anchor in designated areas. For example, in Cala di u Grecu North, you can only anchor between the yellow buoys. Furthermore, there are some areas where motorboats are not allowed and no-take zones.
On the Lavezzi Island, anchoring is forbidden to any boat within 40 meters of the coast. You will only be authorized to anchor if your boat is less than 24 meters, and only in one of the seven defined areas delimited by buoys. The whole archipelago is located in a reinforced protection area, which makes anchoring on Posidonia forbidden everywhere. Finally, a quota of visitors per day has been applied in 2022 to reduce the large number of tourists who visit the Lavezzi Islands every year. The number of daily visitors is therefore limited to 2000.
To know more about the regulations applied in the Lavezzi, check our interactive map.
Best anchorages in the Lavezzi
Cala della Chiesa
Our first stopover during this tour of the best anchorages in the Lavezzi Islands is Cala della Chiesa, the highest rated anchorage in this region on Navily. Located along the northern coast of the Lavezzi Island, it offers good protection from the east to south-west winds by the south. Once anchored in the sandy bottom of the anchorage, you will enjoy the amazing landscape lying before you. Turquoise waters clash with rocky islets that encircle the bay and seem to protect its beauty and intimacy. In the back of the bay, you will find a beach, ideal for sunbathing, starting a hike on the island, or just stopping by for a moment to enjoy the view.
Calla della Chiesa is one of the wildest and less frequented anchorages of the island. The clear waters of the anchorage are home to a flourishing and abundant marine life… a paradise for snorkelers and divers! As it is in the wildlife park,, the seabed has been well preserved.
Cala di Giunco
Our next stopover, Cala di Giunco, is one you cannot miss thanks to the lighthouse of Lavezzi, nested in the rock formations and overlooking the bay. You will have to be careful before anchoring in the sandy seabed, as the Navily community reports unidentified semi-submerged objects at a depth of 5 – 6 meters. Once anchored, you will benefit from a protection from north to south-east winds by the east. The back of the creek is forbidden to motorized boats and you will have to anchor in the delimited authorized area.
Here, you will enjoy a particular landscape typical of the area. The creek features rocks plunging in intense blue waters in an arid natural landscape. As it is also part of the wildlife park, it is a real paradise for swimmers, divers and snorkeling lovers. During your snorkeling session, you will encounter many species of endemic fish. This bay is just like a large open-air aquarium! Cala di Giunco is one of the best anchorages in the Lavezzi, so it is a victim of its own success during the bay. In the evening, most of the boats leave and a calm atmosphere returns. Some boaters, such as Francesco, prefer going there in low season to fully enjoy the magic of this place:
“Protected cove with paradisiacal colors and scents. I recommend going there out of season”.
Cala di u Grecu (North)
We are now heading to the east coast of the island, to Cala di u Grecu North. This bay is one of the most preserved of the archipelago. To protect the seagrass, a delimited area for anchoring has been put in place. You can only drop anchor between the yellow buoys. You will have to be careful and respect regulations.At the anchorage, the seabed features a mix of sand and rocks. There, you will enjoy a fair protection from winds blowing from the south to north-west by the west.
The landscape in Cala di u Grecu North will blow you away. The Bay features unique shaped rock formation bathed in crystal-clear turquoise water.
This area is very protected, so you can explore the seabed and observe a multitude of different fishes swimming around, just like Juliette and Olivier:
“Lots of fish, small and big, groupers, sea breams, baracudas… And a nice walk … it feels like we are at the edge of the world!”
At night, a beautiful sunset will bring a magical touch to your day. As the sun sets, the sky turns pink, orange and red. From your boat, you will see it fade away behind the horizon of an infinite sea.
Cala di Zeri
We are now heading to the Cavallo Island, located at the north of the Lavezzi Islands. There, we stop at Cala di Zeri. Cavallo is a private island, so you can’t visit it or land on the coast, which is reserved for the inhabitants.
However, the bay is really appreciated by boaters and it is considered one of the best anchorages of the Lavezzi. Bastien, who visited the anchorage, praised this unique stopover:
“Very beautiful bay sheltered from west winds. With a superb sandy seabed, the anchorage is very safe. The surroundings and the coast are splendid. Don’t miss this place!” Naos, sailboat, 11 meters.
The good holding and fair protection from the wind are the main reasons it is liked so much. In fact, at Cala di Zeri you will be protected from the south to the north-west winds by the west and the seabed is made of sand resting at a depth of 5 meters.
However, we recommend visiting the anchorage at night when it is quieter. In the day, excursion boats can create swell and agitation. At night, you will enjoy a beautiful light show. The villas on the coast illuminate the rocks which seem to come alive to create a beautiful real-life painting.The bay is quite large and in its center there’s a small islet of rocks sculpted by winds and waves, encircled by waters with many shades of color, from turquoise to marine blue.
Cala di u Ghiuncu
Our last stopover for this tour of the best anchorages in the Lavezzi is located on the west coast of the island. At Cala di u Ghiuncu, you will anchor easily in sandbanks of good holding in 4 meters of water. Thanks to the good protection from north-west to east winds by the north, you’ll enjoy your stay peacefully.
The Navily community advises to arrive early at the anchorage to be sure to have a place, because the bay is smaller than the others on the island. Also, some rocks in the seabed limit the anchoring area.
By arriving early, you will enjoy this heavenly place in a calm atmosphere. On this part of the island, the landscape is made of rocky islets bathing in turquoise waters and covered by a thin green coat bringing a touch of color to the granite-colored coast.
To conclude on this anchorage, you will witness every evening the sun covering the sea with a golden veil and disappearing behind the horizon. A scene not to be missed!
Our tour of the best anchorages in the Lavezzi ends with a beautiful sunset at Cala di u ghiuncu. This region is filled with many natural wonders. In order to preserve them, let’s act together and respect the regulations applied. The Octopus is going to enjoy the Lavezzi a little more before swimming to his next destination.
After discovering the best anchorages in the Lavezzi, if you want to know more about this region, don’t hesitate to check our blog posts about the best anchorages in Corsica and in La Maddalena.
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